She’s A Woman on Fire! Introducing…

by on November 1, 2015

Welcome back to our ongoing series to introduce you to each other.  She’s a Woman on Fire! member and we want you to know her.  Please say hello to…

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Andrea Dowding

Dresden, Ohio

Women on Fire Member: #00004

Member since November 2011

Please tell us about YOU, your family and your work.

My husband, Dave, and I are empty nesters for the first time in our 19 years of marriage and our collective 44 years of raising kids … his, hers and ours! August marked was the first time in 27 years that I didn’t have to fill out the never-ending and dreaded “back to school” forms and fees. We are loving finding our new normal.

I am an executive director of sales field learning and development at Thirty-One Gifts, the 28th largest direct selling company in the world. I work with an amazing CEO, Cindy Monroe, and an amazing staff that celebrates and supports a sales field of over 90,000 women.

What are you “on fire” about? 

Taking back my health, one walk-run, one bike ride, and one lap in the pool at a time. I am a four-year survivor of carcinoid cancer, and 2015 is the first year that I have been surgery- and treatment-free. I believe that every woman — no matter her size, shape or circumstance — can begin to reclaim her heath!

I am launching a closed Facebook group called Powerful … Not Perfect to encourage women to journey with me, just as they are, starting right where they are. It is such a relief to show up willing rather than to stay behind waiting.

How did you originally connect to Women on Fire?  

Rob Berkley! Rob was my amazing executive coach, and I met Debbie during Vision Days, first in Naples, Florida, and then in Martha’s Vineyard for a group Vision Day. Debbie and I talked one morning over breakfast at the Harbor View Hotel in Martha’s Vineyard, and she shared her incredible vision for Women on Fire.

I knew instantly that this was the kind of support and community so many women needed and would benefit from. After I received my executive coaching certification, I worked with Debbie and offered Women on Fire teas and the first Women on Fire  coaching groups in the Columbus, Ohio, area.

What one thing are you the most proud of?

In August, I rode in Pelotonia — the bike tour that raises funds for cancer research at the Ohio State University — and am happy to say I crushed every goal, riding 50 miles in four hours or less, with only one stop, and raising $4,000.

In April, I didn’t even own a bike in April, and I was scared to put my goal out there publicly. I wasn’t sure that I had it in me to do it. It felt good to start from ground zero with my training and then to meet or beat every goal.

I highly recommend setting a big — maybe even scary — goal. It moves you forward to another place. 

What is your big dream?

I think my dream is now unfolding, four years into my journey back from being so sick. My dream manifested into helping women (especially those over age 50) try new adventures, maybe for the first time working to take back their health and possibly their life!

Along the way, there has been lots of fun, lots of encouragement, lots of laughter and much celebration! It doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful!

As a child, what did you want to grow up to be?

A doctor or a writer. That ambition may have merely manifested in a different way than I imagined. I love to see healing occur and hear the stories that come from the journey toward wholeness and full potential.

If you had the opportunity to teach a child one strategy that would help to guide her life, what would that be?

Be adventurous and explore with curiosity and confidence, fully embracing and owning your journey along the way. We have a hand-carved mirror in our home that says it this way, “Go out for adventure and come home for love.”

Where do you find inspiration?

In the stories and success of others.

What is your favorite time-management strategy?

I have learned to manage my energy rather than my time, and it has made all the difference.

Name another Woman on Fire who has inspired you and tell why.

Amy Marzluff is someone I greatly admire. She is wonderfully talented at her craft and continually meets women right where they are and lifts them. She has a passion and a drive to help women in their health journey, but does it in such a way that makes them feel safe, educated and empowered with new information and always, always celebrated.

Amy is a lifelong learner, which I admire, and generous in heart and spirit in sharing her expertise and wisdom. I love her dearly.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve ever faced? How did you overcome it?

My divorce and the events that led up to it. I wrote about it in the first Women on Fire book. I had so much work to do on myself to recover and heal. I had to silence the negative voices and find my own, which was really tricky with young children and all the stress that came with a corporate job as a single mother.

I really had to learn to do things on my own terms, which wasn’t easy, and I wasn’t always successful at it. The biggest lessons learned were to celebrate my strengths, admit my mistakes, be quick to forgive myself and others, and be open to any repair work that needed to happen along the way.

Who cheers you on?

My husband, my children and my family and a handful of friends. I am very grateful and blessed to have a wonderful community within my close circle of family and friends.

What is your favorite inspirational quote?

It is from a speech called “The Man in the Arena” by Teddy Roosevelt, which hung in my father’s office until he died. Now it hangs in mine.

     “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

QUICK-RESPONSE ANSWERS:

I always have room for…

kids and grandkids!

I’m picky when it comes to…

hanging pictures.

My favorite component of the Women on Fire membership is…

hearing other women’s stories.

My favorite go-to self-care strategy…

silence in nature.

I dream of visiting…

Greece and Italy.

I can’t wait to return to…

Hilton Head and New York.

I’m getting better at…

saying yes to me first.

I still need to work on…

putting big dreams in the forefront.

I would love to have lunch with…

my mom, all of my daughters, and my sisters and their daughters. What fun!! I can hear the laughter now!

I’m always up for…

a bike ride.

I have a soft spot for…

teenagers and young women starting their careers. I think in that order (smile).

I have no sympathy for…

self pity.

The top three songs on my iPod right now are…

I could spend hours…

swimming.

I believe in…

new beginnings.

I never forget to celebrate…

a goal or dream realized! I love to celebrate that journey!

I don’t leave the house without…

my confidence and compassion.

I never developed a taste for…

okra.

I’m always on the lookout for…

a new, wonderful, BIG idea.

My biggest pet peeve is…

the phrases “I am so jealous” and “you are so lucky.”

The best thing I ever did…

was giving birth and being a mother to my incredible children

More about Andrea Dowding …

In addition to her work with Thirty-One Gifts, Andrea is a leader in the innovative field of executive and life coaching. She specializes in coaching and supporting professional women and top leaders in the $34 billion industry of U.S. Direct Sales.

She is an accomplished keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, whose insights and life strategies were highlighted in the chapter she wrote for Women on Fire, Vol. 1.

Andrea formerly served as the vice president of sales and executive director of product innovation for The Longaberger Company as it grew to be a billion-dollar direct-selling business. She developed and oversaw the new product lines and was co-inventor on 27 products that received U.S. patents.

Andrea resides in Dresden, Ohio, with her husband and one of their six daughters.

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Members’ Club Sneak Peek Nov. 2014

by on October 28, 2014

Each month, our founder, Debbie Phillips, interviews an inspiring expert for monthly members. If you’re not yet a member, please be our guest and listen in today for free to a clip of Debbie’s upcoming candid interview with wife, mom, founder and CEO of Thirty-One Gifts, Cindy Monroe.

Cindy started Thirty-One Gifts eleven years ago in her basement, with two small children and a full time job. Since then Thirty-One Gifts has grown to become the 17th largest direct-selling company in the world with 1,500 employees and more than 100,00 sales consultants in United States and Canada. She is one of the most authentic and down-to-earth women, let alone CEOs, that you’ll ever meet, and in this exclusive interview she reveals how she built her dream business so that you can too!

Simply press PLAY on the video below to listen to a brief audio clip (2:02) of this heartfelt and inspiring interview.

In the full interview package, you’ll discover:

  • Why big goals are crushing your momentum and how to fix that
  • How to keep your family/relationship afloat while pursuing your dream
  • The No. 1 quality that’s more important than any degree when starting a business
  • How to gather safe and constructive feedback on a new business idea
  • The most important thing to invest in during the early stages of your business

If you are already a monthly member, enjoy this sneak preview. You’ll receive the full interview package in your mailbox in early November.

If you aren’t yet a member and would like to receive the full interview with Cindy Monroe, I invite you to join us TODAY! You will also receive:

  • An invitation to our popular monthly live video coaching call/chat with Debbie Phillips, in which you can receive personalized coaching on whatever you are struggling with and the chance to win one of Debbie’s FAVORITE items from Thirty-One gifts 🙂
  • Access to our private, members-only Facebook group, where you can connect and feel the support of our amazing community
  • Personalized coaching materials each month
  • Plus many more benefits and fun each month!

Click here to register to receive November’s monthly membership package.  Registration to receive the interview with Cindy Monroe ends on Sunday, November 30, 2014.

Don’t miss out on this truly inspiring interview full of hope and love that will motivate you to get moving on that big idea!

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If you had no fear, what is possible for you?

by on July 28, 2014

A huge Women on Fire welcome to hundreds of new readers who’ve joined the Spark! after I met you at the Thirty-One Gifts national conferences.

In the past two weeks, I spoke to thousands of women at arenas in Denver and Columbus, Ohio about how to create and build a strong, loving, supportive community that serves you throughout your life, similar to what we have at Women on Fire.

My dream has always been to provide as many women as possible with inspiration, strategies and support so we can all have our dreams.


Photos at Thirty-One Gifts conferences in Denver and Columbus by Meredith Schoenberger

Speaking to large groups is one of the best ways to share what you’ve learned in order to benefit many others.

But for me to present in front of large groups, I had to overcome one major obstacle:  a phobia to speak in public!

Some of you will find that hard to believe — and my mother, in particular, because I spoke my first word at five months and according to those who love me, I’ve never stopped talking!

Years ago as a press secretary, I spoke on behalf of public officials and could easily and fluidly speak in public.  Then suddenly, out of nowhere, a fear blanketed me, causing me to panic to talk with more than a handful of people at a time.

(I always wondered and thought it curious that my phobia started around the time I went from talking for others to standing on my own and speaking my own beliefs?)

I want to tell you how I overcame this debilitating phobia in case you face any similar kind of fear that prevents you from sharing your gifts with the world and living life full out.

But first I want to introduce you to the dynamic, inspiring woman who founded Thirty-One Gifts.  Cindy Monroe is a role model for us all in following her own dreams — to design beautiful, useful bags, totes and purses and provide women the opportunity to sell them and own their own businesses.

She started her dream in her basement in Chattanooga, Tennessee only 10 years ago, as a 29-year-old mom of two little kids.

Today, Thirty-One Gifts, now headquartered in Columbus, is the 17th largest direct-selling company in the world!

You will be hearing much more about Cindy, and directly from her in the future, when I interview her this fall for the Women on Fire monthly membership program.

Before I share how I overcame my fear to talk to thousands in an arena, I want to answer the number one question I was asked these past weeks.

How does it feel to walk on stage and go before thousands of women!?

AWESOME!

Standing back stage in the darkness, preparing to slip through the curtain, I could feel the enorous energy from the massive crowd pulse up through my feet and into my body. The energy and music simply carried me on to the stage.

The minute I stepped into the bank of lights, I was riveted by the warmth and excitement from the audience. As Alicia Keys would say: I had my feet on the ground and my head in the clouds once I heard our theme song Girl On Fire being played. It was exhiliarating!

I could literally sense thousands of women’s good will and eagerness to listen and learn. A good thing to always remember: your audience wants you to succeed!


Grateful to have Women on Fire Andrea Dowding, Brit Eaton and Tandi Musuraca in the audience cheering me on!

And, no one was more surprised about my being comfortable on stage than me!

Only a few years ago, my mind would go blank if I had to speak to more than a few people. And, that led me to worry I would pass out …or worse, throw up. (It never happened, by the way, but it sure felt like it could.)

So, how did I overcome this fear and stand on stage before thousands?

Here are five key factors that helped me to go from fearful to fearless:

1) Having a purpose bigger and more powerful than your fear — I feel so passionate about Women on Fire and the community that we have created that my strong desire to help other women led me to burst through my fear.

Given the choice of caving in to my fear and forgoing my dream to share Women on Fire with thousands or facing my fear and working through it, I knew my choice!

The thought of women not having the encouragement and sisterhood they deserve —  because I was too scared to stand in front of them — was way worse for me than my fear.

Women on Fire book 2 co-author Carrie Saba spoke of this, too, in her chapter on  overcoming her fear of heights.  It was more important to be a role model and enjoy family activities with her daughters than to give in to her phobia of heights.

(Wait until you hear what Carrie did to overcome her fear! You can read all about it in her chapter “Scaling New Heights.”)

2) Practice, practice, practice – A few years ago, in the throes of my worst fears, my talented husband Rob Berkley hatched a plan for me. He took dozens of little yellow Post-Its, drew smiling faces on each one, and stuck them all over our 10-foot sliding glass doors.

They became my “audience!”  I gave my talks over and over to the happy, sticky Post-It people. I did this until what I had to say became a natural extension of who I was!

Whatever might scare you is often vanquished when you practice in a safe environment the behavior you wish to have instead.

3) Seeking professional help – To calm my nerves for one particular speech, I engaged a professional therapist who works with energy.

It was a remarkable and brief experience over the phone. The result was that I could  imagine the entire stage filled with generations of my ancestors with their hands on my shoulders in support.  After that, almost magically, I was never again afraid to speak to a crowd — even thousands.

If you are interested in this work, I am happy to share Dr. Dale Schusterman’s information and his work with Family Constellation therapy.

There are several forms of Emotional Freedom Techniques, often referred to as EFT, to explore to help remove blocks and fears. I highly recommend! There is no need to suffer.

4) Inch by inch – After learning to speak comfortably in front of a dozen people, I branched to 20. Then I spoke to 40, 80, 100, 250 and 350.  While speaking to thousands is only slightly different, because of the complexities and technical aspects of the stage, speaking in an arena for me now felt like a natural progression — with just a few more people;-)

We talk here often about taking one, small step at a time — over and over — to get to your dream. And that’s what happened for me. Over a decade, I approached public speaking from super scaredy-pants to absolutely loving it!


Celebrating back stage afterward in Columbus with my Women on Fire sisters whose love and support were invaluable: Brit Eaton, my best friend Jan Allen, me!, Kacy Cook, Tandi Musuraca and Andrea Dowding

5) Surrounding yourself with whatever support you need – The love, support and belief in me from my Women on Fire sister made the ultimate difference in being able to speak with ease, comfort and joy!

I simply put out a call for support on our private Women on Fire members’ page and instantaneously I was held up, encouraged and cheered on.  I could not have done it without my sisters.  I would not have wanted to do it without my sisters!  Thank you all so much for being there for me.

With you at my back, I knew I could fly!

Now that I’ve no longer allowed fear to control my life to publicly speak, I can’t even begin to tell you how many wonderful things have come to me.  Perhaps you are here and part of this amazing circle now because of you met me at a speaking engagement!

My hope for you is simple.  If you have any fear in your life right now that holds you back from having your dream, just know there isn’t anything together we can’t solve. Step-by-step. Strategy-by-strategy.

If you have an inspiring story like Carrie Saba’s about overcoming a fear, please share on below in the comments so we can all learn from you and celebrate your success.

Thank you for being part of this amazing, fearless community!

Much love,

Debbie Signature

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